Railway switch



June 1 l, 1929.

o. L. WERTMAN ET AL 1,716,748

RAILWAY SWITCH Filed Feb. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented June 11,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR L. WERTMAN AND PARIS W. BATCLIFF, OF DIETZ, WYOMING.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

Application filed February This invention relates to switch mechanism designed chiefly for railways and more particularly for switching mine cars and obviates the use of the ordinary switch stand and provides for throwing the switch by hand, or by means of a trip mounted upon the locomotive and under control of the engineer, or driver to be thrown into operative position when required.

lVhile the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and such other changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway switch embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction designated by the arrows.

Figure 4c is a detail perspective View of a trip adapted to be mounted upon the locomotive or other rolling stock.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the seve 'al views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The main track comprises the rails 1, and the branch or siding rails 2. The switch points are designated by the numerals 4 and 5, and are connected by means of a bar 6. A bell crank 7 located at one side of the switch has one of its members connected to the bar 6 by means of a bar 8. The other member of the bell crank 7 is connected to arms 9 and 10 of shafts 11 and 12 respectively, located some distance from the switch. A suitable connection 13 is interposed between the arm 9 and the bell crank 7, and a similar connection 1 1 is interposed between the bell crank and the arm 10. A lever 15 extends upwardly from the inner end of the shaft 11. A similar lever 16 projects upwardly 7, 1928. Serial No. 2.523%.

from the inner end of the shaft 12. These levers provide convenient means for operating the switch, either .by hand or by means of a trip mounted upon the locomotive or other rolling stock. A weight 17 cooperates with each of the levers 15 and 16 and serves to throw the switch after the lever passes the dead center and holds the switch in the adjusted position until again positively moved by operating one or the other of the lovers. The several parts are preferably disposed below the surface so as to be out of the way and protected.

To admit of operating the switch from the locomotive or other moving part a suitable trip 18 is mounted thereon, and is normally held in retracted position by means of a spring 19. An operating element 20 connected with the trip 18 is adapted to be actuated by the en movin part, whereby to project the trip into the path of one or the other of the operating levers to throw the switch from the locomotive or like element.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

in a railway switch structure including trackage having movable switch points and a cross strip connecting the points, operating mechanism for the switch points ccmprising a. pit extending longitudinally of the track at one side thereof, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted in said pit, a bar pivotally connected with one arm of the bell crank lever and extending out of the pit transversely thereof and pivoted to the cross bar, a rod pivoted to the other arm of the bell crank lever and extending longitudinally in the pit, a rock shaft rotatably mounted in said pit and having an arm projecting radially from one end thereof and pivotally connected with said rod, an actuating lever extending from said shaft and rigid therewith whereby the shaft may be rotated to swing its arm and move the switch point to an adjusted position, and a counterweight carried by said shaft and extending radially therefrom and secured to said lever.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures.

oscnn L. WERTMAN. [12.5.] PARIS w. RATGLIFF. 1. 8:

gineer or driver of the- 

